The Opposite of Loneliness
Marina Keegan was a 22-year-old activist/writer who was killed in a car accident after her graduation from Yale. I am horrified to have to type the words “22-year-old” and “killed” in the same sentence and my heart goes out to her family.
She was on my mind a lot today because I had a happy day and it was inspired by her piece, “The Opposite of Loneliness.”
We don’t have a word for the opposite of loneliness, but if we did, I could say that’s what I want in life.
More than finding the right job or city or spouse – I’m scared of losing this web we’re in. This elusive, indefinable, opposite of loneliness. This feeling I feel right now.
I’ve never read a better descriptor of happiness: the opposite of loneliness.
I felt so grateful for the long list of people and experiences that make up my “opposite of loneliness” today.
{Source}
My legs felt so dead yesterday and today with falling temperatures, they felt much better.
I ran 3.1 miles in 29:14 today and although there is a part of me that wishes I were throwing out 5 and 10 milers like Speedy Gonzalez but heck, when I can’t run right, I’ll run left. :D
I decided to taste-test a new shot - the GU Jet Blackberry - because it seems that GU gels are at more races than Cliff shots.
It tastes like cough syrup and has a very thin consistency so it went down a bit easier than Cliff. No one needs a gel for a three mile run but I find that testing new gels during longer runs is just asking for trouble. :D
My day started with a yummy strawberry-basil smoothie and toast points with almond butter.
I made another round of homemade iced coffee - anytime I make my own iced coffee I want to weild it like a trophy.
Look at me: I’m being frugal and I’m saving the environment by not using a disposable cup - like a motherf*cking adult!
After my workout, my wisdom tooth extraction site started bleeding.
I called my oral surgeon and they said to place a moistened tea bag at the site because the tannins in tea can stop bleeding (the more you know!)
Luckily, it’s not a dry socket because that pain is hellacious. Lunch ended up being soft and quick - a Fage yogurt with a sprinkle of brown sugar blend.
Dinner was a tapas style take-out meal from Sultan’s Market - my favorite little Mediterranean joint: Lebanese spinach pie - different from Greek Spanikopita because it is always made vegan!
A cup of yellow lentil soup with one of my favorite hot sauce bottles from our New Orleans trip stirred in - Bayou Passion, Louisiana Pepper Sauce.
Alligators and crocodiles are awesome. :D
And since I was missing my greens, I also enjoyed a small tabouli salad - finely diced parsley with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and cracked wheat dressed in lemon juice and olive oil.
Off to do some hatha yoga then turn in early! Hope you had a great day.
Sunny Bunny
Today couldn’t have been any prettier. Everything feels like a treat when it’s bathed in golden sunlight. :D
I went a little crazy this morning at breakfast - I didn’t feel like eating the usual meals and packed these half-pints of berries I got.
Yeah, I worked through them speedily. :)
Lunch was just a quick iced coffee and Kind Bar eaten on the go but dinner made up for that.
Cold roasted asparagus alongside lentils and wild rice + hot roasted Campari tomatoes and Baby Bellas.
I’ve been eating the baby bell peppers raw with hummus but roasting these little guys are even sweeter than regular bell peppers.
We’re off to meet some friends for drinks and plan our fall marathon - hope everyone had a great day!
I Love Brunch
And there’s nothing better than a long run followed by brunch! John’s long run was on Saturday and I was more than willing to celebrate with a lovely brunch. :)
We loved our long run dinner at Francesca Forno and wanted to check out their brunch because it was even more packed!
I had been dreaming of the raspberry crespelle with riccotta, saffron honey, and toasted almonds but when I finally had a bite, it was disappointing. Ever since I started eating dippy eggs, I’ve been craving them for breakfast - instead of oatmeal-as-dessert bowls, pancakes, and other ‘sweet stuffs’ for brunch.
We left the crespelle and John got a delicious veggie omelette and smashed fingerling potatoes with green peppers (and he shared two with me!)
The Best Pecan Pie in New Orleans…and maybe the entire Southern United States?
Mr. B’s Bistro has great New Orleans fare (we had an awesome dinner there the first time we went to New Orleans together and I like the grits too).
However, I would skip your meal/get a salad and head straight for dessert - their hot buttered pecan pie served with homemade vanilla ice cream is our favorite!
Could this be the best pecan pie in all the Southern states? :D
Hope you are having a delicious night!
I Wanna Hold Your Hand…in Savasana
This was my outfit today. Because it’s freaking 40 degrees. Go away winter, you are not wanted here. I want to wear inappropriate skin-baring outfits in hot weather. :)
John came home early and we took pumpkin butt for a long walk around the neighborhood. I get sad leaving him for vacations and start compensating by buying a ton of kong toys and planning elaborate play dates.
I’m going to be an awesome mom, Toddlers and Tiaras style! :D
******
I also went with John to my second workout of the day, Hot Power Fusion yoga at Core Power. It’s corny, but my favorite part of class is at the end when we assume corpse pose and I sneak my hand over and hold John’s. Heck, I say do it to that attractive someone and see where the night takes you. ;D
The class took out the kinks - yoga at home hasn’t been cutting it because I really miss the structure and heat from the class.
We are feasting on Gardein burgers, whole wheat toast, and Sriracha sauce…
and some Greek yogurt with blueberries!
So excited for Friday and this weekend - have a great night everyone!
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
I went to brunch at Feast with two girlfriends today - these are the eggs royale, two poached eggs and smoked salmon over an English muffin with hollandaise sauce, caviar with Feast’s signature potatoes.
My meal was more simple but still yummy - black bean soup with a mixed greens salad!
I worked through lunch and quickly enjoyed a Luna Chocolate Raspberry bar and a black coffee - so delicious!
Today’s workout was a C1.5 hot yoga class with my favorite teacher. She ran the Shamrock Shuffle too and I think she knew half her class did as well - there were a lot of hip openers in the class!
I enjoyed a nice meal right after hot yoga - a sunny side up dippy egg and an Arnold’s Thin - my first dippy egg sandwich! I finally got my sunny side up technique down and dressed my egg with cumin, salt, and pepper.
A bowl of mixed greens on the side provided some Popeye power!
Today’s frigid temperatures left my teeth chattering and I needed a second cup of coffee and half a Luna Bar for a pick me up in the early evening!
John came home late for dinner and we demolished an entire tray of roasted and salty zucchini and he stole my Gardein “Chick’n” strips. He might be a carnivore but you can’t leave him alone with your veggie chicken strips. :D
Between our running and racing, midnight showings of the Hunger Games this weekend, and some late night drinking fun, we are exhausted and will be turning in early like old people. Hope you had an awesome Monday!
The Best Hot Chocolate I’ve Ever Had
…at a darling and delicious bakery and chocolate shop on the Upper East Side.
John spotted Little Brown Bakery when I asked if we could stop for a meal and it was such a lucky find.
We had the peanut butter hot chocolate - a frothy hot chocolate infused completely with peanut butter - and a delicious chocolate pretzel.
We had expected a regular hard pretzel dipped in chocolate and dried.
We got a soft and salty New York style pretzel dipped in a warm and fresh chocolate fondue - they twirled the ribbons of chocolate in front of us.
I might have tried to steal as many bites of this dessert from John as possible - look at my chocolate eating concentration face in the second to last picture. :D
I hope you all get a moment to take a delicious interlude today!
Location Details Here!
Wise Advice From Everywhere!
The weather was lovely and someone had two long walks today. It was awesome because we discovered completely new blocks for me to run. :)
Today’s run workout was inspired by wise advice: take it easy and let my body absorb training.
I decided to switch my training runs and to extend my 5K - today I ran 4.1 miles in 39:30 slow and able to maintain a conversation - with myself. :)
This is asking more from my legs because I will run two 10K’s in a row but today gave me a nice break after Sunday’s long run - and it’s just a mental game, right?
I fueled with a cup of cherry juice with the hopes it would mend my muscles!
After my breakfast salad, lunch was protein-packed!
Gardein Crispy “Chickn” strips with Sriracha Sauce…
And a Fage Blueberry-Acai Greek yogurt.
I decided during my run that I wanted to take more Hot Yoga Sculpt!
I was inspired by this little tidbit from an interview with Sara Hall.
I love Hot Yoga Sculpt and it’s my favorite way to lift weights right now. It was an eureka moment: combine the harder runs with lifting and alternate them with easier runs and regular hot yoga classes of all levels. Sometimes the obvious is the best!
I am determined to go every Tuesday and Thursday (and work up to including Wednesday!) and I plan on using the shorter long run this week as a perfect jumping off point for this.
Hope you all had a great workout today!
Keep on the Sunny Side of Life
Dippy Egg on Ezekiel toast dusted with sea salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Navel orange and pumpkin spice coffee with almond milk.
